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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29492943">Behind the Mastermind</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Libraryadia/pseuds/Libraryadia'>Libraryadia</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mara_Jade101/pseuds/Mara_Jade101'>Mara_Jade101</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Kids No More: Detective Camp Arc [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hardy Boys - Franklin W. Dixon, Nancy Drew (Video Games), Nancy Drew - Carolyn Keene</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Identity Reveal, Multi, Revelations</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 00:27:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,871</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29492943</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Libraryadia/pseuds/Libraryadia, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mara_Jade101/pseuds/Mara_Jade101</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Nancy, Ned, George, Bess, Joe, and Frank find themselves coming face-to-face with the true Mastermind behind the Camp Fiasco.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Frank Hardy/Callie Shaw, George Fayne/Chet Morton, Joe Hardy/Iola Morton, Nancy Drew &amp; Frank Hardy &amp; Joe Hardy, Nancy Drew &amp; Frank Hardy &amp; Joe Hardy &amp; Yulis Payne, Nancy Drew &amp; George Fayne &amp; Bess Marvin, Nancy Drew/Ned Nickerson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Kids No More: Detective Camp Arc [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2050230</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1- Nancy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Are you sure you want to do this?” Ned asked quietly. He turned to look at the currently wheelchair-bound Green Lawn trio, who were talking with the Idaville duo about their upcoming visit to Bugs in prison. “They might not be ready.”</p>
<p>“No,” Nancy agreed. “But I am.”</p>
<p>She stood to her feet and sighed to herself. <em> ‘It's time we learn who really is behind the Mastermind.’ </em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2: Frank</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Frank stared across the table at Nancy and the rest of her team. “So...how are the kids?” he asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Better now that the Green Lawn trio are all awake and recovering,” Nancy said in a mostly neutral tone with an underlying bite.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do they know why you’re here?” Joe asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mostly. Wrapping up a case and all. So what do we know?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, we know that this Mastermind guy has a lot of connections. Useful for not getting caught. In fact, from what we’ve found, if he hadn’t gone after your campers, he probably would have gotten a few more years out of his connections.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nancy’s face went dark. “At least ONE good thing came out of that hell I suppose...though we all could have done without it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Frank saw his brother mirror his wince out of the corner of his eye.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>George and Bess placed hands on Nancy’s shoulders and Ned squeezed her hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nancy took a deep breath and then asked “So what exactly is this Mastermind mixed up in?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A little bit of everything actually. And even though we’ve caught him physically, we still aren’t sure about who he actually is. The prison has pushed to let him leave his mask on since he’s been so cooperative.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pile of shit if you ask me,” Joe snarled. “Considering what we KNOW he had those people he hired do to those kids, I can only imagine what would have been in store if that Bugs guy hadn’t suddenly found his conscience.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A shudder rippled through the room. Then Frank cleared his throat. “So yeah; we have most of his connections but until we get his identity, we can’t bring it all down.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nancy’s teeth suddenly set into an unnerving smile that promised dark things for whoever opposed her. “Then perhaps I should check in on him. Find out more about the ‘game’ he played.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nancy, you do know you can’t hit him,” Ned said cautiously.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t want to hit him. I do however want to yell at him. But I’ll restrain myself for as long as possible.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Frank sighed. “I guess we don’t have much to lose. I’ll arrange for you to interrogate this guy; maybe you can get something we can use…”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3: Nancy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Nancy sat in the interrogation room, waiting for Mastermind to be brought in. Even if the kids weren’t ready for this yet (and she wasn’t sure they’d ever be), she wanted to get answers so that this mess could be put to rest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mastermind was led in and sat down across the table from her. “Ah. Mrs. Nickerson. Good to see you again. To what do I owe this pleasure?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want answers,” she said, her tone measured but with an undertone of harshness.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mastermind cocked his head. “About what specifically?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, you could start by telling me your real name.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He laughed. “Direct; I like it. Very well. You DID win our game so I do owe you all the information. Yulis Payne.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nancy blinked. Then blinked again. “You can’t be serious…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh. I’m quite serious. All that money I inherited from my father and yet I still got so terribly bored just running the family business and charities. So I decided to dabble in the criminal arena and it was such a pleasure.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nancy discreetly sent the man’s identity to Frank while asking “So this entire scheme was nothing but a game to you? Including what you did to my campers?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yulis waved a hand dismissively. “HOW I did that was a game. But I was owed by a few of those children. Quite a bit they cost me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What specifically did they cost you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yulis rested his hands on the table. “Well, that Finder boy and his little friends cost me a fine counterfeiting operation. A true pity Slater went after that Santos girl so unnecessarily. In all probability, the police would have been lost long enough for them to skip town and we wouldn’t have lost anything. But I do understand why he lost his head a bit; it’s why I brought him in on the game. Get his vengeance on the children that ruined him and all.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nancy could barely breathe; she knew what he was referring to. And all he cared about was that Slater torturing Alison HADN’T BEEN NECESSARY? Not that it was wrong on top of being illegal?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yulis continued as if he hadn’t noticed her reaction. “Though York; he forfeited all rights for vengeance when he not only lost me a very profitable animal smuggling ring and everyone working for it but what would have proven a valuable resource.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nancy’s brain stopped working when she realized that he had just referred to Encyclopedia as a “resource”. What did he mean?...Then her brain restarted with a vengeance; if Sally hadn’t been able to find Encyclopedia before the ring had skipped town, they would have taken Encyclopedia with them and likely enslaved him in some fashion. She covered her mouth, trying not to be sick.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But in the end, you won and I congratulate you. Oh; and give Miss Santos and Mr. Brown my regards; from what I was told, they held up admirably both times they were under my power.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nancy stood up. “This conversation has been...enlightening. But I think it’s over. Goodbye, Mr. Payne. I hope we never have cause to speak again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yulis looked confused but nodded. “Very well. Farewell, Mrs. Nickerson.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nancy made her way out, struggling and managing to keep her composure as she processed the answers she hadn’t been sure she wanted and now had…</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4- Bess</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“He’s who?!?” George yelled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yulis Payne,” Nancy repeated softly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bess placed a hand on her shoulder and said quietly, “Nancy, this is not your fault. He didn't know that his father was trying to help you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nancy growled. “Thomas Payne was a good man, and he tried to help me stop the burglary as it was happening. It was my fault that he got shot...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don't say that, Nan! Yes, Thomas died by accident. Yulis just blames you for that, and you didn't do a thing wrong.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nancy sniffled, brushed away her tears, and whispered, “Then why does it feel like I did?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bess had no words for her best friend, so she just gave her a squeezing hug.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5: Nancy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nancy bit her lip. She didn’t want to do this, not when everyone was still recovering from everything Master...no; <em> Yulis </em> and his gang had done but the Finder trio and Idaville duo deserved to know how far back his influence on them stretched.</p><p>She entered the room where the kids were hanging out and despite her nerves, seeing them all at ease in each other’s presences made her smile. <em> ‘Criminals aren’t going to stand a chance for years to come…’ </em></p><p>“Max, Alison, Zoe, Sally and Encyclopedia, I need to talk with you guys in private.”</p><p>The kids all looked anxious but the mentioned five nodded and stood to follow her while the others busied themselves. Nancy noticed Ruth Rose signing something to Sally but shrugged it off.</p><p>Once they reached the office, Nancy ushered them inside. Taking her seat behind her desk, she waited for them to get settled before beginning.</p><p>“You remember how I went to interrogate Mastermind a little while back?” At their nods, she continued “Well, I found out that his true identity is Yulis Payne.”</p><p>Max and Encyclopedia both frowned and exchanged a silent discussion. Then Max asked “The son of that famous philanthropist Thomas Payne?”</p><p>Nancy nodded. “He...well, he blames me for his father’s death. He didn’t have all the facts and it was an accident but…”</p><p>Alison gave Nancy a gentle smile. “Nancy, just because this asshole blames you, that doesn’t make you at fault.”</p><p>Nancy gave her a fragile smile. “Well, it’s not just me he blamed for something not going the way he wanted it to.”</p><p>There was a silence. Then Encyclopedia asked “What do you mean?”</p><p>Nancy winced but steeled herself. “He blames you five for his criminal web losing a great deal of profit and several operatives.”</p><p>“When did we do that?” Max asked in confusion.</p><p>Nancy sighed. “I believe you and Zoe would consider your involvement the scariest thing you went through.”</p><p>Zoe’s hand jumped to her mouth as she went green and Alison whimpered as she squeezed Max’s hand. Max’s eyes were stormy. “You mean this Yulis guy is the reason Slater hurt Alison?”</p><p>“Well, he was in charge of and bankrolling Slater’s counterfeiting ring but he considers what Slater did to her to have been...unnecessary. He gave Slater a chance to take revenge because he understood why he took the actions he did but apparently Yulis’ only complaints about those events is the loss of profit and how unneeded what happened to Alison was.”</p><p>“Damn right it was unnecessary!” Max growled, hugging his shaking girlfriend.</p><p>Suddenly Encyclopedia’s eyes went wide. “He was behind the animal smugglers too, wasn’t he?”</p><p>Nancy winced again as she nodded. “He was.”</p><p>Sally growled “And I suppose he considers what happened to EB to have been unnecessary too?”</p><p>“Actually no.”</p><p>There was dead silence for several minutes. Then Encyclopedia croaked “What?”</p><p>“He considers that endeavor a bigger failure because in addition to all the lost profit and manpower, the man in charge lost a ‘valuable resource’.”</p><p>“Don’t tell me that means what I think it means,” Sally whispered, holding Encyclopedia’s hand tightly.</p><p>“What do you think it means?” Nancy asked, voice soft.</p><p>“That...that if I hadn’t found Encyclopedia, they would have taken him to Yulis and he would have...used Encyclopedia’s skills to run his crime web.”</p><p>Nancy nodded, wincing at Sally’s heartbroken sob. She stood and wrapped her arms around the girl. “But I promise; he’s going away and is NEVER getting out again. And no one is going to be able to try something like that ever again if I have anything to say about.”</p><p>Though the atmosphere of the room was still tense, Sally returned the hug as her sobs slowly subsided.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6- George</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>George walked in on the kids gathered around Marshall’s computer, listening to something.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you kids doing?” she asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lucy spun around with tears in her eyes. “George! Hi! We… uh… are watching a TV show!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sounds cool…” she began, but was cut off by the sound of the office door opening and Sally walking out with tears in her eyes. KC opened her arms and Sally flew into them, sobbing into her shoulder. Encyclopedia placed a hand on her shoulder. Sally turned to him and sobbed harder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>George raised an eyebrow and turned to the Mystery 9. “A TV show, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Riiiight,” Dink said quietly, watching as Sally calmed down in her boyfriend’s arms.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>George shook her head. </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘I understand why he went after the five, but why the trio and their siblings? Was it because they were just there; was it just because the people he hired wanted revenge?’ </span>
  </em>
  <span>She shivered, hoping no one noticed it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘Why did he go after the Mystery 9?’</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7: Joe</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Joe frowned, going over the Mastermind case notes. Something didn’t make sense.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s eating you, Joe?” Frank asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The fact that Yulis going after the Mystery 9 doesn’t really make sense. Hiring people with grudges against them, even to the point of bailing them out and hiding that he had done so, cost money that wasn’t necessary to spend and added complications to the plot that are probably why it met its downfall.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Frank nodded. “That’s true. While we can’t be sure, it IS more likely Bugs would never have turned around if it had just been the Finder trio and the Idaville duo who had been taken and tortured.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So why attack and kidnap all the campers? Besides the whole ‘remove the detectives from play’ element, which could just as easily have been achieved through blackmail.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You think he’ll talk to us on Nancy’s behalf?” Frank asked, a grim look on his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s worth a shot at least…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>XXX</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yulis smirked at the Hardy brothers as he sat across from them. “Ah; Mrs. Nickerson sent you then? I figured she’d have some questions even after I gave her what she asked for.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why did you target the Mystery 9, Payne?” Joe asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yulis shrugged carelessly. “There were several reasons. Hiring people whose ultimate goal was taking out their anger on one or more of the 9 meant that it was easier to throw the camp into a panic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Which could have been done without having to bail out so many people,” Frank countered. “You didn’t have to have employees with personal grudges against everyone at camp.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“True. But it wouldn’t have been nearly so interesting.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So it was a game?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“In part yes,” Yulis said with another careless shrug. “But I also was curious about how the little soulmates survived Afton...and if the survival strength was a family trait…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Frank and Joe stared at him in horror. Finally Joe asked “So you wanted to test how much they could take before they broke and you were curious because of the Fazbear murders and attempted murders?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yulis nodded. “Yes; their parents managed to dodge murder attempts quite young. I wanted to see if it bred true.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Joe found himself unable to say anything so he just stood up and fled the room. </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘If I have to hear anything else from that asshole, I’m going to be sick.’</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8- Bess</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Bess blinked in shock at what she was hearing. She could not believe...well, she could believe it and she doubted that she didn't want to. “They were targeted because of what hell they went through?” she asked, just to be sure she heard them correctly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Frank nodded. “Yeah. At least the kids don't know about it, thankfully. I'm not even sure they want to know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They want this to be over as quick as possible,” Nancy groaned. “But maybe that’s just me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It's not just you,” Joe said, leaning on the bookcase.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Someone knocked on the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come in!” Nancy called.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Josh opened the door carefully, and Bess’s eyes widened at the fact that he currently wasn't in his wheelchair. “Hey, George?” he asked. “Marshall is looking for you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>George nodded. “I'll be there in a moment. Just wrapping up some conversation…where's your wheelchair?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He blushed. “It's in the hallway next to me; why?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nancy looked at him. “The doctor said specifically...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Josh cut her off. “I don't really pay attention to doctors much…” He trailed off when he saw the look on Nancy’s face. “But they are usually right and I'm leaving now so Nancy doesn't kill me, OK? Bye!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bess opened the door to see Josh wheeling himself away as quickly as he could. She suddenly turned back to George and asked, “Have you seen any of my listening devices? Because I'm missing one.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9: Nancy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>George sighed. “I’m going to guess the kids swiped it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bess frowned. “Why though? Don’t they trust us?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not that they don’t trust us,” Nancy sighed. “It’s just right now secrets don’t seem safe so they’re avoiding them.” She sighed again. “I wish I could fix everything for them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bess smiled. “Nancy, you are such a mom!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She flushed. “What? No I’m not!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes you are, Nan,” Bess laughed. “I know you couldn’t see yourself when Josh tried to say he didn’t listen to doctors but that was a total mom face!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nancy winced. “Well, now I feel terrible…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The rest of the adults in the room looked at her like she had sprouted a second head. Finally George said “Why?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Those kids all have great parents. Parents who have done so much for them. All I did was put them somewhere where Yulis could get at them with ease…” Ned chuckled, making Nancy frown. “What’s so funny?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nancy, there are people who try to steal children from their parents. But that’s not you. You ended up in a position of responsibility and guardianship and have taken it on as a badge of honor. Kids can never have too many adults caring for them, whether they have good parents or not. And given everything those kids have been through, they need it more than most. I mean they’ve pretty much adopted each other as family; why wouldn’t you get the same treatment?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nancy found herself smiling. Then she chuckled. “You know this means we’re going to have to introduce them all to my dad and Hannah now, right? Because if I’m one of their moms, that means they’re Dad and Hannah’s grandkids?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Laughter filled the room and Nancy found the knot that had been in her stomach for days finally loosen. </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘Maybe now we can finally start to move on into a better and brighter future…’</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Alright, guys! We are done with this story! See you soon for the next one!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Alright, guys, here we go! This one's going to be yet another wild ride!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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